Fontana: "I sleep well at night"

Joe Fontana says it’s unfair Londoners would let the potentially terminal tax woes facing the charity he helms affect their opinion of his ability to serve as mayor.

Hours after The Free Press revealed federal officials are set to strip the charitable status from Trinity Global Support Foundation, where Fontana is chair and son Ugo is president, the politician addressed the second extra-political controversy he’s faced in four months.

His two positions — one chairing a charity that’s facing serious punishment, the other overseeing a billion-dollar city budget — should be kept separate, Fontana said.

“I don’t see what I want to do with regards to helping people through a foundation . . . I don’t think that has anything to do with me being mayor,” he said.

Of Trinity Global’s work, he said: “We help people, feed people, save lives and educate people. I sleep well at night knowing full well we’re doing some very, very good things.”

Asked if it could harm the public’s faith in his office, he said: “It shouldn’t.”

For others on council, the picture is more complicated.

Coun. Paul Hubert, who with Joni Baechler was a leading voice asking Fontana to leave office in November amid his troubles with criminal charges, noted the distinction, with a caveat: “These are not the city’s problems, these are the mayor’s problems. (But) there is a backwash.”

This issue arises four months after The Free Press reported police were probing whether another Fontana son’s wedding reception was paid for in part with tax dollars in 2005, at which time Fontana was a federal Liberal cabinet minister.

The RCMP charged the mayor with uttering forged documents, breach of public trust by a public official and fraud under $5,000. The matter is slated to return to court Feb. 26.

Now, the Trinity Global questions arise, with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) set to revoke its charitable status as of March 3. Trinity lawyers are trying to delay the move, giving them time to prove the status shouldn’t be stripped.

Asked if he could see why Londoners will have trouble separating Fontana the mayor from Fontana the charity’s chairperson, he was adamant.

“Well, they should (separate them) because as mayor I have a certain obligation and duties and I discharge them very seriously,” he said.

For one council veteran, the public faith in Fontana left shaky after the criminal charges is sure to take another hit.

“The office of the mayor remains the office of the mayor and I respect that,” Coun. Judy Bryant said, adding “I think the public have been shaken and I believe they will likely be shaken again.”

One frequent Fontana supporter, Coun. Sandy White, says while she can understand the charity issues may affect public perception, she distanced herself from the matter.

“What the mayor does is what the mayor does. What I do is focus on what I do,” she said. “I focus on my ward. If people have issues with the mayor they need to go to the mayor. It has nothing to do with me.”

Fontana declined to discuss Trinity Global in detail, deferring any questions to its lawyer.

Later Thursday, Fontana handed out Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medals in his city hall office — an event that was not publicized. A Free Press photographer was not allowed to take pictures of the event.

"Trinity Global Support assists people, or takes their . . . donations and deploy them for good purposes. . . I sleep well at night."

"As mayor I have a certain obligations and duties and I discharge them very, very seriously. What I do then in my other life . . . is Joe Fontana the person. I can separate myself."

"What Trinity has done is try to help people, feed people, save lives and educate people. So on that basis I am comfortable. The fact the CRA now has a difference of opinion is something people have to deal with."

"I don’t see what I want to do with regards to helping people through a foundation — and I belong to a lot of organizations who are motivated to help people — I don’t think that has anything to do with me being mayor."

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